ANGRY residents fighting to prevent trees being felled by developers say their loss would destroy an inner city ''oasis''.

ANGRY residents fighting to prevent trees being felled by developers say their loss would destroy an inner city ''oasis''.

Developers Cheshire Portfolio Investments, who have purchased the derelict Crown Hotel in Epsley Close, Hulme, want to knock down a number of trees and build private flats on the green site.

But furious members of the Aquarius Tenants Association have objected to the plans.

Aquarius spokesman Ian Plimmer, an Epsley Close resident, said: ''After discussions with the Moss Side and Hulme Partnership at our tenants' association meeting, it appears that Epsley Close will be turned into a building site for at least six months.

''The developers have purchased the Crown Hotel, which also includes most of the trees and a third of the parking area of Epsley Close.

''They seem to want to take responsibility for all of the land in Epsley Close before, during and after development. This sounds like a good idea until you learn of their proposals in more detail.''

Flats

Mr Plimmer said the plans under discussion involved the building of two, four or five-storey blocks of flats, one with a frontage to nearby Epping Street, and another with a frontage and an access point to Boundary Lane.

Mr Plimmer said: ''This would then create a courtyard effect in Epsley Close.

''Obviously, they would require further car parking spaces for the new residents and they plan to squeeze these spaces somewhere between the trees.

''They also insist that any trees that do have to be removed will be replaced with other trees on site, although I can't see how this could be achieved. Any loss of trees is going to badly affect the environmental quality of the area.''

But Mr Steven Redfern, of Moss Side and Hulme Partnership, who has met residents, said no planning application would be approved until all consultation with local people was complete.

He said: ''A number of trees would have to go to make room for car parking, but it has been made clear to residents that the majority of the trees will be retained.

''We will actually end up with more trees than we have at the moment.''